Side by Side BRS
by BPES
Summary: Is this it? Is this Really It? Can I really do nothing for Yomi after all this?   Defeated, Black Rock Shooter reflects on life in the real world, particulalry Mato and yomi's friendship, and Mato's reasons for fighting. Is this it? Read and find out. R


I do not own Black Rock shooter, I just happen to like it and wanted to write something about the OVA. Please don't sue.

Was it over? Was it really over? Was she unable to do anything for Yomi after all this?  
Defeated and imprisoned, Black Rock Shooter reflected on what had transpired, not of the life and battles of Black Rock shooter, but of the hapier days of Mato Kuroi.

Mato, she was just a bubbling well of energy when school first started, and in truth, not much had changed since then. She had gotten up early to view a very special scene, the home that she loved illuminated y the morning sun. Such a warm and happy feeling, yet it seemed unimportant at the minute. No, what WAS important was what happened later that morning, when Mato saw Yomi for the very first time.

It was strange she had thought, to see someone arrive from a car like that. And as the girl stepped out, Mato noticed how tall and pretty she was with vivid green eyes. When she noticed Mato's stare she brushed it off immediately. Things could've ended there but by chance the two shared the same class and so Mato, her curiosity peaked had to find out more about the girl. Approaching her was difficult, she didn't want to appear rude yet lacking on a proper idea she decided to wing it and hope for the best.

In the end, it had worked out well, and the two became fast friends and went about the school year doing practically everything together, from hanging out, going to and from school, copying homework and even their clubs, which were different, were side by side. The two stuck together nd enjoyed things as friends do. But when the second year started, that was when the dark clouds began to form over their friendship.

Separated the two were downhearted but promised to visit each other whenever possible. And at first, that's what they did... but then Mato wound up talking to Yuu, a classmate and the manager of the basketball club, a lot more frequently, them being in the same class and all.

'Stupid, I was so stupid. Why didn't I notice? Why did I have to let Yomi suffer?' Mato's guilty thoughts reverberated within Black Rock Shooter, the two one in the same now. In the end it probably wouldn't matter, Black Rock Shooter had tried and failed to defeat the Dead Master whom Yomi had become, her feelings of jealousy and abandonment, her sadness turned to anger and hatred. The dead master was the culmination of Yomi's negative feelings, all of which Mato blamed herself for. She had never wanted this, she had never wanted to drift from Yomi but she never realised just how much her friend meant to her until she disappeared.

'Not just her now... me, I'm lost too. I wasn't strong enough... I wasn't good enough... Not to save you, not to walk beside you... I'm... just not good enough.' Her thoughts began to spiral into despair without end.

Was it over? Was it really over? Was she unable to do anything for Yomi after all this? She had already failed her friend once... to do so again?

Footsteps alerted her to another presence, the Dead Master had come to pay her prisoner a visit for whatever reason. There eyes met and that was all it took. Mato remembered, she remembered her sorrow and anguish, but then, a message with no words came from Yomi. A silent cry of help, that was what she felt it to be and so she mustered herself and charged forth to that special place she had shared with Yomi, where she had given her a gift to signify their friendship. She had pushed herself to her limits to get there as fast as possible, falling to her knees after arriving and seeing nothing. That could've been it but by chance, no, maybe not, but whatever the reason, she saw it shine. Her gift to Yomi, their sign of friendship, and so Mato had called out, wanting nothing more than to meet her friend again, to fix things between them. And it had appeared, a shining star in the sky. It took her to meet her other self, this girl known as Black Rock Shooter, the girl she was now. If the Dead Master was the embodiment of all of Yomi's dark feelings, then what was Black Rock Shooter?

When the two had become one, what Mato had been feeling was not despair, but a yearning for the friend she had lost, she wanted nothing more than to fix things. The strength of her feelings back then had shone brightly, it was small at first, but it grew larger and brighter the more she thought on it.

Was it over? No! Was it really Over? Definitely Not! Was she unable to do anything for Yomi after all this? Absolutely not, there was still something she could do.

Her face, her smile, in there somewhere was Yomi, and Mato, no, Black Rock Shooter was not willing to let it disappear behind the Dead Master. Feeling that strength again she fought against her bonds, these chains that held her in place. She would not, be stopped by something like this, not when her goal was right in front of her. The chains groaned before finally giving in and the dead Master began to back away.

The Dead Master seemed scared, unsure of what to do and so lashed out with another chain. But this time Black Rock shooter simply slapped it away, destroying that oppressive chain with her own feelings. Thoroughly shocked, the Dead Master could do nothing but back away some more at Black Rock Shooter's approach. And so Black Rock Shooter did what she felt she had to, she held out her hand for the Other girl.

'Please take my hand, Yomi!' it was a silent thought, a prayer. But instead the Dead Master chose to continue running away, backing up onto non existing ground.

And she slipped, about to plummet to the ground far below.

NO! Absolutely not!

A brief flicker of the girl she once was came across the Dead Master as a pair of strong arms encircled her and held her close, stopping her from falling. Holding on tight, not letting go even when the Dead master began to struggle against it. She had to show Yomi, show her that she didn't want them to be apart, that she wanted to reamin friends with her as they once had and that, she was sorry he had forgotten that, even for a short time.

The response was strange, yet relieving all the same. The Dead Master fell and faded away, and this embrace, this hug she had on Yomi who was once again Yomi, was returned. Daring to look, Black Rock Shooter saw her smiling face and relief swept over her. The Dead Master's castle began to fall apart,there was only to escape now and return to the real world together. And that is exactly what they did.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been a very good friend lately have I?" Mato said when the two had returned, Yomi just looked at her before smiling softly. She held up the Cell phone strap that Mato had returned to her and gazed at it.

"I forgive you... because in the end, you came for me. Thank you, for being my Friend, Mato." She replied and Mato chuckled.  
"Thank you as well then, Yomi. Let's... definitely continue being friends FOR~EVER!" She proclaimed causing the two to laugh. Suddenly Mato stopped and put her finger and thumb to her chin in a thinking pose.  
"What is it?" Yomi just had to ask.

"No well... I was just thinking... how do we explain this to your parents?"


End file.
